Find the Best 529 Plan

Click a state or choose from the menu below for details on the college savings and prepaid plans available. States tinker with their plans frequently, so use the phone numbers or links to request the latest information. Also be sure to check out the top savings plans and notes about the listings below.

529 Plan Details

You may select a 529 plan by any of the options below. We currently have 116 plans available for viewing.

Plans by State

Select a state and click Go, you will then see a list of 529 plans sorted by plan name.

Plans by Type

Select one of four types and click Go, you will then see a list of 529 plans of that type sorted by plan name.

Plans by Name

Type in any part of the name of the 529 plan you are seeking and click Go.

Plans by Program Manager

To select from all 529 plans with a particular program manager, type in any part of the program manager's name and click Go.

Plans by Investment Manager

To select from all 529 plans using a particular investment manager or fund company, type in any part of the investment manager's name and click Go.

Kiplinger Top Plans

Lowest Fees

If low investment costs are your primary concern, take a look at the Utah Educational Savings Plan Trust. The plan serves up a menu of nine Vanguard index-fund portfolios and charges only 0.38% per year for its most expensive option. (The plan also levies a fee of $4 per $1,000 of your account balance up to a maximum of $20 annually.)

Best Portfolios of Underlying Funds

The pre-fab portfolios offered by 529 plans are only as good as their underlying mutual funds. That's why we like Maryland College Investment Plan, which uses a great mix of funds from T. Rowe Price. Maryland cut its annual fees this year, and the plan's most expensive option costs just 0.99% annually.

Best Plan for Conservative Investors

The Michigan Educational Savings Program, run by TIAA-CREF, is ideal for investors who shy away from putting their college savings into the stock market. The plan has a savings option that guarantees principal and a minimum annual interest rate based on a Treasury note index. That option doesn't charge an annual fee. The plan also offers portfolios of TIAA-CREF mutual funds that are tilted more toward bond funds than most other 529 plans. Those options cost a very low flat fee of 0.45% annually.

Best Mix of Investment Choices

For do-it-yourself investors who want to build their own portfolio, the College Savings Plan of Nebraska offers a selection of 20 funds from American Century, Fidelity, PIMCO and Vanguard. The wider assortment does come with higher fees. The most expensive fund option costs 1.64% annually, and there's a $25-per-year maintenance fee for all accounts.

Best Adviser-Sold Plan

If you feel more comfortable using an adviser, ask about the Virginia CollegeAmerica plan. You'll pay more in fees than if you bought a plan directly, but your adviser can craft a solid portfolio with 22 top-notch funds from American Funds.

About the listings

Most savings plans allow you to enroll at any time, while many prepaid plans limit enrollment to just a few months during the year.

Now that 529 plans are federally tax-free, most states are expected to follow suit. State tax deduction rules for contributions are included in the profiles above, but not which plans exempted earnings from state taxes prior to the tax-law changes.

All savings and prepaid plans are transferable to out-of-state and private institutions (though a few prepaid plans may make lower payouts to those schools).